


salt and swords

by rosyemperor



Category: NU'EST, Wanna One (Band)
Genre: M/M, Pirate AU, Violence, fast burn, rushed ending sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-14
Updated: 2018-07-14
Packaged: 2019-06-08 21:36:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15252531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosyemperor/pseuds/rosyemperor
Summary: “My name is Ong Seongwoo, at my service.”





	salt and swords

**Author's Note:**

> Prompter #79! This prompt was AMAZING... Thank you so much for putting this idea so I could take it (?) ANYWAY, I hope you like what I did with this.
> 
> Thank you as well to those who helped me with this, s, g, m and c!!! ♥
> 
> Readers, I hope you enjoy this reading!!! It's a little rushed but I hope it fulfills the hearts of those who long for a pirate au well enough! Also, this is unbeta-ed so I hope I didn't make any major mistakes and it's understandable enough (?) ♥♥
> 
> Lastly, Sirius Rises thank you SO MUCHHHH for creating this amazing fest that's making me push myself to write more and more. Thank you!!!! ♥

The clash of swords resonated hard against the glass windows. So hard, so savage, so  _ dangerous _ . It was so loud the floor seemed to shake under his body. Maybe another would’ve run for his life, he did quite the opposite.

Minhyun hid, and hoped for the best.

His father had always taught him fighting was the way but he never took after his word. So far, his wit had been enough to get him by –more than that, actually—. He was probably not going to be that lucky then.

He dreaded being forced to pick up a sword. Ever since he was little and had learn the hard way how badly they hurt.

Their house wasn’t as big back then, merely a place to get by and sleep. None of the indulgences of the present. It was small, austere, borderline dirty. The walls grey and crumbling. And it wasn’t just that, his family had barely enough to eat, always beseeching for a little piece of bread to lead to their mouths.

Despite that, they had been a little safer back then.

Then, day by day, their lives had become more  _ comfortable _ . The house stopped falling to pieces. They no longer slept on the ground. They weren’t starving. Sujin began wearing dresses and Minhyun shirts. And more, more, more. An eight-year-old never questioned how all of that happened, not really. He was happy about it, not minding it much. Minhyun was contented with being able to get more of what he asked for.

For years, life just kept on improving. Yet, his father began to spend most of his days outside and his mother agonised whenever he took longer than a day or two to get home. Minhyun was eleven at the time so, he was conscious enough to know something was not normal.

He had gone to Sujin, his sister, and together they had taken upon them to find out what his father was up to. One dark night, they followed him through the dusky alleys. His sister held onto his hand tightly, his father unknowingly guiding them through the houses that seemed to curve inwards, closing in them like a cave.

The more they walked, the deeper into the corrupt core of the town they seemed to get. Even the air gave the impression of noticing where they were going, growing harsher and carrying various putrid smells.

The uneasiness was creeping onto their bodies. Minhyun wanted to tuck at his sister’s hand to insist her to go back but his father had taught him to be fearless so, he tried his best to overcome the impulse to flee the scene. Judging from the way Sujin tightened her grip, her mind was flooded by the same thoughts.

After a while, they stopped. Their father, a tall muscular man, stood in the middle of a plaza. His face, hardened by the toughness in which life had treated them, was completely serious, his eyes darting around the whole place. He put his hands on his hips, tapping nervously with his foot on the ground. He was waiting for someone.

They stood like that twenty long minutes. Their father in the middle of the square, Sujin and Minhyun hiding around the corner. Their bodies close to guard themselves from the merciless coldness around.

Their father muffled a scream when he saw something. It was such an unusual sight. Minhyun had always seen his father as unbreakable, invincible. His father was loving towards them, yet there was something else, a hardness inherent to his persona. Not once he had shown weakness, until then.

He ran past them without even  _ seeing _ them and they trailed behind him. They realised where they were going when the streetlights began to shine brighter, the mist almost gone. The air was clearer there in front of their house.

It was eerily quiet, his father holding his breath as he pulled out a dagger. They observed in silence how the blade reflected the moonlight, tearing off flashes of silver.

Sujin had tied her hair up and picked up the long skirts of her dress. She was ready to jump in and follow. Minhyun, ignoring what their father had taught them, stopped his sister.

A scream broke the stillness of the scene. It was high-pitched, screeching and hurtful. Then, the clash of blade against blade. A man, carrying a body on his arms left the house and dumped the body on the streets, running into the obscure part of town. Their father followed shortly after, suppressing the cry on his throat and darting behind the wide man. This time, the siblings followed too.

Their father had caught the other quickly. He junked him by the hairs, hard enough to hurt his scalp. Afterwards, he lifted his dagger, bringing it down shortly after and cutting through his neck until blood flowed freely. It pooled at his father’s feet, warm and red. Yet, he didn’t stop. He went again, the man’s neck, stomach, face. Nothing left untouched.

Ultimately, he let go and fell to his knees. The blood stained his clothing and he shrieked as Minhyun and Sujin held onto each other, too scared to even breathe.

Their father cried their names and their mother’s again and again and again. He continued bawling until his voice gave in, breaking into a loud howl. When their freezing left, they run towards his father.

Minhyun still remembered the way the blood had stuck to his shoes, tinting them in hues of crimson. Sujin’s dress, once green became burgundy on the bottom. They didn’t mind, too shocked to even think while they hugged his father.

Mr. Hwang took a while to react and throw his arms around his kids. He kissed their heads and faces, holding them close. Then, they went home. Their mother’s body laid imp in front of their house, colder than the man’s at the square.

Sujin covered Minhyun’s eyes but he was already scarred for life.

Their father tried his best to explain them what he did for a living. How he had collected a long list of enemies, how it would increase. He didn’t go into much detail, not wanting to scare them. They had already seen enough, though.

After that night, everything changed in the Hwang household. His father became both more protective and harsher. His sister, twelve years old at the time, left the dresses aside and focused her energy into defending herself. Minhyun didn’t talk much about how he watched the pool of blood every time he looked at his father. Internally, he blamed his elder for his mother’s dead. Himself too, for being so  _ comfortable  _ with the new house and newfound pleasures.

He promised he wouldn’t follow his father’s path but ended up participating anyway. He still learned how to carry a sword –never as skilfully as Sujin—, how to negotiate, how to manipulate. His weapon of choice were words. Bow and arrow if he had to get more practical. A dagger if he was close enough.

By the time his crimes caught up to their father, both Minhyun and Sujin had already learned everything there was to learn. Sujin had continued or rather, expanded, his father’s doings. A whole empire on her hands.

Minhyun just lived, he helped her occasionally. Her appointed negotiator and information machine. Minhyun was a warm person but he became cold as ice when needed.

Yet, he tried to remain as  _ spotless _ as he could in that line of business. He had succeeded, but his father’s sins were hard to bleach and both him and his sister were still dealing with the consequences, even if they no longer did the killing.

He had managed to battle and kill as little as possible but the clashes under his window suggested he would probably not get out of that one alive without a fight. So, he hid a dagger under his camisole and picked up his bow and arrow when the defences fell.

He left his room, the high floor of the mansion still out of reach to the pillage and brawl. Sujin’s room was right beside his and that’s where he was going.

“What is this?” He whispered as he slid inside, his fox-like eyes meeting those of his sister. 

She scoffed before answering.

“Pirates, can’t you see?” He held a breath. 

There was something inherently dangerous and wild about them. They served no man but themselves and that was  _ scary _ . He could deal with people who wanted something. He could convince people out of vengeance. He could never reason with people who lacked it in the first place.

“What should we do?” He asked, his voice trembling. 

Sujin was laughing out of nervousness, the  laugh increasingly growing louder until it was close to a growl.

“We fight, we kill, we win. What else?”

It was terrifying outside. The bodies, pirates and their people alike, piled up by the second. Minhyun charged the bow repeatedly, shooting arrows at the men outside. His sister cut through the individuals, watering their plants with blood.

He had never seen that much violence together. It was too much for him to take in, his body taking over his mind as he continued piercing the air with his darts. He never missed, opening wounds right and left.

Then, something hit his head. Hard, but not enough kill him, only putting him out enough for someone to lift his body off the ground and take him quickly. He felt like flying in the arms of a man. The grip was strong on his body, feeling it through his gradually weakening mind.

“Quite pretty, huh?” The man carrying him said. 

Minhyun could barely opening his eyes but he still managed to curse at the other before losing consciousness.

  
  


“Wakey, wakey, pretty boy!” Someone sing-sang. 

With his eyes still shut close, he couldn’t see whomever got him out of his trance. He didn’t want to, anyway. Feeling the wood under his butt, hard and painful and moving to the rhythm of the battering waves was  _ enough _ . He didn’t want to see the cabinet, nor the pole around which his arms were tied.

His head hurt, like someone was hitting it from the inside. An unstoppable hammering. He pursed his lips together.

“Feeling a little sore? I’m sure I didn’t hit you strong enough! C’mon, I was nice!” The other pleaded. 

Minhyun didn’t need to open his eyes to know the owner of the voice sported a smug. He imagined the man was a pirate. He pictured someone tall and wide, strong arms with tattoos. Maybe a parch over his eye, to match with the aggressive aura.

He would probably wear tattered clothes. Brown pants and brown boots that were initially black. He imagined a hairy chest hidden under a half-opened dirty white blouse, the remnants of what he had stolen. On the other’s face there was probably a scar, or two. And he was ugly and gruff.

“I’m not seeing your unpleasant face first thing after I regain consciousness.” Minhyun spat, prideful. 

Sure, he was not in a position to be proud, tied on a pole inside a pirate ship that was sailing the seas. He couldn’t help it, anyway.

“I can deal with so much. An insult to my glorious beauty is something I cannot. Now,  _ pretty boy _ ” He stated, emphasising the pet name. “open your eyes for me before I stop being nice.”

He sighed loudly before violently opening his eyes. Too close for his liking was the pirate, observing him with curiosity behind his eyes. The man lifted a hand and caressed his chin, bringing it up to meet eye-to-eye.

Truth be told, he was nothing like Minhyun had imagined. Instead, his face looked as if it had been chiselled by the gods themselves. Like the waves had shaped his jaw perfectly, making it sharp and defined. Three stars had walked out of the sky and found a new home in the pirate’s face. And his eyes. Round and shiny, curious, with a gleam behind them. Big and observant. Minhyun almost got lost inside the brown abyss of them.

“There, I’m prettier when you have your eyes opened. You’re prettier like this, too, I like the wildness behind your gaze.”

The hand stopped lingering around his face. The pirate stood up, loudly kicking the woods as he did so. He wasn’t neither tall nor wide, his arms weren’t strong –didn’t look like it, at least. They should be, they had carried Minhyun after all—. The clothes should look dirtier and thrashed out by the seam than they did. He also carried himself differently than he should, an elegance to him that shouldn’t be there.

He was handsome, Minhyun admitted to himself. Handsome and predatory, there was a certain riskiness imprinted in his body.

“I can’t say you’re not handsome.” The auburn-haired admitted out loud. 

His eyes lingered on the pirate, taking in everything that he was. He was soft, too. His nose’s tip was round. His cheeks too. When he smiled, he looked almost childish.

“Oh, you flatter me!” The man laughed. “You’re quite pretty yourself.”

Minhyun chuckled, an idea running inside his mind.

“Maybe let me go and we shall do something about it?”

The pirate approached him decidedly, a grin plastered in his face. It seemed to be there eternally. He kneeled beside him, his hands lingering around the pole. He teased him, even touching Minhyun’s hands and tugging at the rope. He put his face close, almost close enough for their lips to touch.

“Tempting offer, but I’m not dumb.”

The laugh resonated on Minhyun’s chest, deep and rich. He gulped down and took a deep breath, his chest expanding. They were so close still that the dark-haired could feel his respiration too.

“Don’t look so defeated, we can still do something about it. I’ve always liked tying, anyway.”

The mercenary’s son threw his hand front, hitting the pirate’s head and causing him to fall on his butt. It was a useless move but it felt good nonetheless. Like he held some power even when, in reality, he didn’t.

It was fast, the way the pirate stood up right after. There was some blood dripping from his nose, such a little amount it was already dry against the hotness of his skin. Nonetheless, it was enough to make Minhyun smile, a grin of satisfaction quickly taking over his face.

Objectively, he had done nothing to change his situation, but it felt good. Better than expected and maybe he could see right at that moment  _ why  _ his father had taught them to fight, to not be powerless.

It felt invigorating, to have some kind of control over someone. In an instant, he had changed the way the pirate felt. He had altered his body and the other reacted accordingly. It was fascinating.

“Ugh.” The man spat “I’ve been nothing but kind and yet…” He kneeled again, reaching for Minhyun’s face with his hand.

It ghosted over his chin, close enough for Minhyun to feel it, threatening. Far enough not to brush it in the slightest. The touch came unexpectedly and violently, the hand griping on Minhyun’s neck and the thumb lifting his jaw.

Their eyes met again.

“And yet I don’t respect you.” Minhyun finished the sentence, defiantly.

The pirate let out a soft chuckle, his eyes travelling south. When he looked back up, there was a half grin on his mouth. It was attractive in its confidence, almost cocky.

“You’re quite quick on the tongue for being the laid-back brother.” The pirate noted. “I always knew you weren’t just Mr. Hwang’s disappointment, the one who never followed the path laid for him.”

Minhyun tried to turn his face away from the other’s attentive look. It tried to pry into his  _ soul _ ¸ or so it felt like. The pitch-black pupils of the other had some uncovering capability, exploring Minhyun. He felt naked under the other’s look, a strange need to cover himself taking over his body.

“What do you know about me except from stupid conjectures and talks? What do you know but the gossips, the talks of the town? You have no idea about who I am.” He sentenced. “And you don’t need to.”

He tried to mirror the intimidating quality of the other, filling his eyes with rage. He couldn’t quite do it. He lacked the confidence and, probably, the practice.

It didn’t matter, his words were loaded enough.

Some people talked with their bodies to make themselves heard. He never needed to, for words were his best weapon. He knew how to aim them, how to wound the opponent. He was an expert on leading people where he needed them.

“Your name is Hwang Minhyun, Mr. Hwang’s son and Sujin’s brother.” The pirate commenced, standing up in the process. He walked around the tiny cabinet without taking his eyes off Minhyun. “Twenty-three, were only eleven when you lost your mother. Eighteen when your father was killed and your sister took over the business. She did a good job!”

It felt weird, having his life story narrated to him. Scary, too. The pirate didn’t stutter once, spitting fact after fact as if he knew them by heart.

“People believe you never partook in anything. I know better.” He let out a chuckle, stopping in his tracks. “I won’t call you the brain behind, but it’s obvious you do more than both of you let it. She wants to protect you, you want to protect yourself. And so, you pretend you’re not the businessman I know you are.

You manage the sales and negotiations behind the scenes. You convince people with your words, almost like a siren. If I didn’t know better, I’d believe they exist because of you. You and your silver tongue would be enough to convince a man to jump into the void.”

He was rendered speechless. Only the battering of the waves against the ship could be heard in the tiny cellar. Not even their breaths broke the silence. It was tense and the tension was filled of heaviness.

“Who are you?” Asked Minhyun finally, his voice tearing the tautness apart.

“Ong Seongwoo, at  _ my  _ service.” He answered quickly with a mocking curtsy. “Merely a pirate in search of a better life, or more money. Whichever comes first… I’m hoping it’s the money!” Then, he winked.

Seongwoo was sickening in his superiority. Minhyun hated the other man having the upper hand. He abhorred defencelessness, how people would find themselves unable to act. He dreaded being at the will of someone else, someone who was completely unknown to him, especially when it wasn’t mutual.

The other had gone over his life. He knew age, family, name, job. His defining moments? The pirate had named them too. His heart had almost stopped due to the blood freezing in his veins.

He realised he didn’t even know what they (because it wasn’t just Seongwoo) wanted him  _ for _ .

“Am I a way to the money?” Minhyun guessed.

Sujin wouldn’t jeopardise the business for him, would she? He knew he would, but she had always been  _ colder _ , at least on the outside. She didn’t mind getting her hands dirty, nor she feared the job as much as Minhyun did.

He hoped she would just let the pirates get away with him instead of putting herself in danger and whatever remained of their feeling of family. A part of him already knew she would never let the bandits have it.

She didn’t have a ship but she would build one if that meant saving Minhyun. Because he had always been able to see behind the emotionless façade. He knew better. He hoped he didn’t.

“Jackpot!” The man exclaimed. “You see, Hwang Sujin is filthy rich and she needs little brother to keep on being so. If she wants pretty boy back, she just has to share her richness. It’s a good deal!”

The auburn-haired took a deep breath, then let it all out in a loud, manic laugh. It wasn’t funny, he just needed a way to steam off, let out the fear he felt inside. He tried to conceal it, he really tried. It was to no avail.

He was scared, because he wasn’t that brave man he should’ve been and he didn’t know how to deal with being handcuffed inside a pirate ship, defenceless.

“And if not?” He asked, angst tainting his voice and almost breaking it.

“If not, the sea is cold and the wood is long.”

Death was it, then.

“Or maybe my bed is hot and the space short.”

The following day he was still pretty much tied up inside a pirate ship. Seongwoo was still guarding him, as if he was any kind of threat without his hands and legs. The pirate was still handsome in a deadly way. It wasn’t a nightmare.

“Do you plan on starve me to death?” Minhyun questioned in a demanding way.

The dark-haired pirate laid asleep on the floor beside him, black bangs plastered to his forehead in a mix of salt and sweat. He wore the same camisole as the day before, only dirtier. His chest expanded with every breath he took and Minhyun felt almost guilty for waking him up. Almost. Yet not at all.

“Hey! Scary Pirate! Wake up and  _ feed me _ !”

Hwang Minhyun was foolish, proud and demanding –in many ways—. He was good at measuring danger but would sometimes jump into it, ignoring every red alarm in his mind. He just picked his battles and his favourites were power games.

Right then, he was losing.

“Shut up.” The pirate groaned, only an eye opened.

Seeing the other like that, a nest instead of hair, puffy face and annoyed face was a small pleasure. A tiny win for him, to be able to cause  _ some  _ pain. He was just looking at the best of the situation.

“I bet the sun is up and I’m hungry.”

The pirate approached him, wobbling a little because his juts-awoken brain was probably not working properly.

“You” he said, signalling at him with a finger. “are in no position to demand anything.” He announced before turning around.

Minhyun sighed loudly, laying his head back on the pole. The wood was uncomfortable, hard –as expected of wood—. The whole place reeked of salt. It tainted the air, the floor, the clothes he was wearing. And it mixed with the smell of alcohol strongly emitted by the barrels for the ultimate unpleasant odour.

The pirate left the room, shutting the tiny wooden door with a bang. He could feel the sudden boredom once stripped of his only source of entertainment. Sure, he was a dangerous pirate and he feared for his life but at least he was talking to  _ someone _ .

He also had to admit they were kind of equals in terms of conversation. The other matched his quick wit –almost— and wasn’t easily riled up, always having a retort at the go.

There was also the beauty, which was always a nice plus. Pirates weren’t supposed to be  _ pretty _ . They were supposed to be big and gruff and ugly, the kind to feature in bad guys stories rather than be painted and hung in hallways.

If he knew how to paint, he would use someone like Seongwoo as a model and paint his features in hues of pastel.

He shook his head to drive away those unwanted thoughts, maybe throw them to be eaten by the waves. Waves that constantly hit the craft and made it dance to their will, savage and violent.

By the time Seongwoo came back with bread and cured ham, he was cured from his own thoughts.

“Here you have, your Majesty.” The pirate pronounced, like a challenge. “Hope it’s enough to cover your necessities.”

The dark-haired threw the food at Minhyun’s feet. It resonated against the floor, the bread probably being days old and hard as a rock. Minhyun threw it a look, expectant.

It was obvious he couldn’t even take the bread in his hands but he wasn’t going to  _ say it _ . Instead, he glared at the grinning pirate with annoyance behind his eyes; then, at the bread. Repeatedly.

“What? You can’t eat it? Want me to put it in your mouth? Oh, how needy! You must learn to be more dependable, huh?”

As mockingly as he had said it, the pirate actually picked up the bread and fed it to Minhyun with the outmost care. Pleasant surprise would be the word to describe it, it being the pirate not chocking him with the food. In fact, he even had his hand placed under his chin to stop the crumbs from entering his clothes.

Minhyun’s shirt was opened, exposing most of his chest. He hadn’t notice it before, too caught up in the whole situation. It probably broke during the battle and, obviously, no one thought of dressing him anew. It didn’t look bad, anyway.

His mind trailed back to the battle and the brutality of it. Pirates killed without a mind, they paid attention to no strategy nor were they  _ trained _ . They just killed, sliced, hurt. They had an objective –was  _ he _ the goal? — and they went after it however they could, usually successful on their chaos. Pirates didn’t count their dead, so it was a victory as long as the captain got his hands on the treasure.

Or so he thought, at least.

Minhyun knew they weren’t known for their mercy but he hoped Sujin was safe –she  _ had to _ be — and their closest allies as well. Minhyun didn’t trust many people; his sister was one, the duo from hell were another and Jinyoung was the last one. These people had come into his life in the most varied of ways and he was forever thankful.

At least he knew Jinyoung, Jihoon and Woojin were not in the mansion when they were attacked. The trio had been on a mission: one of their clients from the adjacent villages was up to no good. The woman, Miss Kim was her name, had been selling information about them she had gathered by buying goods from them and lying about wanting to open a night business under their wing. Apparently, the part of the guard that was not yet on their side –they had helped the town as much as they had helped themselves, expanding and embellishing it— had found out she had direct connection with the Hwangs and decided to exploit that. When they found out, action against it was to be expected.

Jinyoung was a great fighter; feline and almost imperceptible in his moves. The boy was barely eighteen yet he knew more about technique than most people did in their whole lives. Jihoon was the talker; he was smooth and charming, even though his face almost did all the work for him. And Woojin? Woojin was the killer, able to finish the task when the others failed in their attempts. Woojin didn’t like it but he knew how necessary it could be because life had taught him the hard way that sometimes it was kill or be killed.

If they had succeeded in keeping Miss Kim quiet didn’t matter at that moment, he was grateful that they were outside even if they had failed.

“I’m not getting you any more food until at least five hours so you better have enjoyed that.” The pirated stated, falling back on his butt and laying his back on the pole as well.

Their arms touched through the fabric. Minhyun’s shirt was soft and silky in contrast to Seongwoo’s rough, more consistent one. They mirrored in colour but were so different still. It was funny, how things could be apparently the same but divert completely from each other.

Minhyun wondered if it happened the other way around too.

“Why did you actually feed me?” The auburn-haired asked genuinely.

Of course, he wasn’t actually expecting Seongwoo to bring him food when he woke the other up and  _ demanded  _ to be fed. It had been a surprise then, the door opening to show the pirate bringing food. As the bread fell in front of him, he thought it was more fitting, just a way to mock the prisoner but after that, the other had actually put the bread on his mouth and nourished him.

He couldn’t stop repeating the sequence of events in his head.

“I have basic human decency, I suppose.” Seongwoo retorted.

He was breathing sharply and unevenly, as if there was something tugging at his heart. A pain he wouldn’t talk about and even though Minhyun was curious by nature, he didn’t inquire about the sudden change in the other.

“And we need you alive.” He added, shrugging as he said it.

Seongwoo’s head now rested against the pole as well, his black locks mixing with Minhyun’s reddish ones. They stood like that for a while, bodies almost parallel and in complete silence.

“Do you know me?” inquired Minhyun after a while, his honey voice breaking the unexpectedly comfortable silence between them.

He had nothing to lose, really. The pirate had said he would be freed if Sujin provided them with money but even like that, he would never be  _ sure _ . They were pirates, after all. Pillages, robbers, low-lives, men with no honour. He thought all of that but Minhyun was, objectively, in no place to judge.

His life, after all, wasn’t any more moral.

Mr. Hwang killed for a living, and not just that. His father could be hired for whatever they wanted to hire him, whether it was ending a life or destroying people completely one way or another. He was despicable, cold and selfish. But he always had people he cared for, a family he loved more than anything in the world and the reason why he bore the viciousness of his tasks.

When he had paid for his brutality, they had taken over for themselves. So, how was he in any way better than a pirate? Only because he wore finer clothes it didn’t actually mean he was any better.

“Didn’t we go over that a while ago? I think I told you all about your life.”

Minhyun scoffed.

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Well, that’s all I’m willing to answer.” Seongwoo snapped, harshly.

“I wouldn’t forget a face like yours.” Minhyun mumbled to himself. The pirate heard, anyway.

“We don’t really know each other.” He admitted. “I would’ve prepared myself for you if we had.”

The way he said it implied a no more questions tone behind it, almost too loud to listen to the actual words. Minhyun was interested. More than that, he was fascinated. There were many sides to the pirate and he was inclined to peel him fully, almost like a personal challenge.

But silence had taken over again, accompanied by a slumber that put them both to sleep.

They woke up to the sound of screaming and jumping. The wooden roof above them shook with the drop of bodies against it. The shooting was loud, bullets cursing through the air until they reached something to stop it, of course, a thump would follow. The smell of blood reeked the air as well, jolting them awake.

“Seongwoo.” Minhyun whispered. It was enough for the other to open his eyes and look at him. “Release me.” He pleaded.

Surprisingly, the other complied. His eyes darted from side to side, his right hand quickly reaching for the gun hidden in his pants. The way he carried himself had  _ changed _ , the pirate looked like an animal, predatory and alert.

Minhyun himself mirrored that behaviour, narrowing his eyes and putting great attention in his ears. Even though his extremities felt numb, he walked in a sneaking matter, making close to no sound. His heart threatened to jump out of his chest, beating even louder than the gunfire outside. The pirate’s echoed his own.

They beat for different reasons. Seongwoo was scared, Minhyun was hopeful.

As much as he didn’t want Sujin to roam the seas in a quest to find him, he was equally yearning for her to do so. Admittedly, he had been lucky considering the way Seongwoo had treated him but he was still kidnapped and tied up to a pole. So, when the battle broke out, a big part of him was expecting it to be his sister despite it being impossible due to the short time that had passed since he was took from his house.

“Take this.” Seongwoo whispered, handing him a dagger. His own. “Your bow and arrow are here, too. Take them.” Minhyun shoot him a confused look, overwhelmed by the sudden freedom. “Don’t hit me with that look! We’re under siege and I can’t have our  _ leverage  _ dead, can I?”

Quickly, the auburn-haired did as told. Suddenly, he was armed a position he quite liked at that moment. He didn’t know if he could outskill the pirate, he guessed he might. He didn’t try, though. After all, the other had been  _ good  _ to him.

“Ready to join the fight? Just please don’t hurt  _ me _ .” Seongwoo asked, emphasising on the plead at the end.

“I won’t.” Minhyun conceded with a smile. “Now, let’s go.”

He wasn’t fond of fights and chaos. He always preferred quietness and peace. Space for dialogue and understandings. Yet, he felt weirdly invigorated with his bow and arrow the moment he stood foot outside.

The sudden loudness of the sounds  _ everywhere _ was overwhelming and threatened to blow his mind with their anarchy. Rusty swords banged against each other, causing metallic rattles everywhere. They cut the air, jarring and dangerous. They were old antics, older than time.

Minhyun observed the scene, fully taking it in. His fox-like eyes searched the deck in hoped of seeing the familiar jet-black hair tied in a ponytail but there was none. Instead, everywhere his gaze reached there were the pirates as he had always imagined them to be; tattooed, scary and big.

Seongwoo was right, they were under siege and he better fight for his life.

“Duck!” Screamed the pirate right beside him.

Behind Minhyun, a gruff man had tried to probably slice his neck with the sword. Thanks to Seongwoo, he couldn’t. The auburn-haired quickly reached for the dagger and hid it in the other pirate’s chest, his hands suddenly dyed red from the blood that flowed non-stop from the man.

His eyes were glued to his hands, crimson and hot and guilty. He pulled the dagger out and watched the body fall imp to the wood, a scene replaying in his head. It wasn’t the time to disassociate and his ally –was that what they were now that they had a common enemy? — was pulling him into the top deck.

“You’ll have a better view here to shoot enemies down! So, do it! I’ll be down stairs, procuring no one even reaches this deck!”

Minhyun nodded, charging his bow as he did so. He shot arrow after arrow, piercing the air with determination. They made their way into someone’s chest, head, legs. He never failed.

He was  _ too _ focused, forgetting his actual surroundings only firing, charging, firing, charging.

That was so, that he almost missed a heavily tattooed man approaching Seongwoo from behind, tiny dagger in hand. The wide man pirate was so focused on the other, walking towards him inexorably. Until Minhyun’s arrow pierced through his chest, causing him to drop the dagger in an attempt to block the dart and save his life… to no avail.

The pirate looked up, a scream dying in his lips as he was actually hit by someone neither of them could see. He had no time to properly warn Minhyun before being taken. The other had seen something he himself couldn’t. Seongwoo had seen how a tiny redhead was reaching for Minhyun’s, kicking him behind the knees and making him fall to the ground.

Then, a hit to the head.

“Not this again.” He muttered before the world went black.

For the third day on a row, he opened his eyes to find himself in a wooden cellar and tied up to a pole. Sure, he should’ve grown accustomed after those many hours but human beings were not meant for that.

This time, though, Seongwoo was tied beside him, their hands interlacing. His breath was even and calming, like he was still sleeping –he probably was, but he couldn’t see it from his position—. In front of him stood a tiny red-haired man with a grin plastered to his face. It was annoying, Minhyun decided.

Nonetheless, he was beautiful too —seriously, why were pirates not horrendous? —. Plump rosy lips curved upwards that showed teeth that were way too bright for what they should be. His nose was thin and delicate, the tip slightly looking up to the heavens. All of this tied up with two big and round eyes that shone like the stars. It was unfair how his skin was perfect as well, not a sign of piracy, not a scar, not anything.

“Long time no see, darling!” His voice was high-pitched, surprising yet expected.

Of course, he wasn’t talking to Minhyun.

Beside him, Seongwoo had just woken up, or so he supposed. The red-haired waltzed to the other side to face the dark-haired. Minhyun tried to follow with his eyes but he couldn’t.

A groan was Seongwoo’s only answer.

“C’mon! Don’t be too mad… You had it coming since you helped Daniel steal my ship!” He exclaimed, ticking his tongue.

“Maybe if you hadn’t stolen it from him in the first place!” Seongwoo answered. He wasn’t  _ serious _ despite the situation and Minhyun was pretty much confused.

“Tom-a-to, to-ma-to! You still stole it from me when I was already captaining it with more mastery than Daniel ever did.” The red-haired stated factually. “Besides, it was  _ me _ who you shared a bed with, did that mean nothing to you?”

“What?” Exclaimed Minhyun. He hadn’t mean to intrude but his boy had reacted faster than his mind.

“Oh!” The captain yelled, turning to Minhyun. “How rude of me! I’m Sungwoon, captain of this ship and owner of some others. You might think it’s not too clever to borrow ships to other pirates but, trust me, they will give them back because they know better.”

The auburn-haired nodded, causing Sungwoon to cackle.

“I believe it’s time for you to introduce yourself.” The pirate stated, the brightness of his expression suddenly becoming darker.

“I- “Seongwoo cut him with a “stop”, earning a raged look from Sungwoon. “As I was saying” Minhyun continued “I’m Junhyuk, a deserted knight. I fled the war and Seongwoo found me, taking me into their crew out of kindness.”

The red-haired seemed satisfied and he hoped Seongwoo’s face didn’t give anything away.

Minhyun had always been good with stories, of course. Coming up with new lives was something so inherently his that he would’ve felt naked if he ever lost that ability. When he was little he used it to fly away from his home, the poorness of it all. He imagined he was like those kids that ran freely along the streets of the richer parts of town, always having something to eat, to wear.

Later in life, it became useful for more than that. He created covers for everyone, providing them of a thought-out life with no holes to pry on. He was quite fast at imagining them, too.

“How… cute.” The pirate answered, unsure of his own words. “Anyway, you’re probably wondering why you’re not dead. Easy, I am a kind person!” He exclaimed, his voice reaching new levels of high.

Seongwoo scoffed.

“I am!” The other retorted angrily. “And in exchange for your life, I offer you a place in my crew. An eternal one, of course, I saved your life after all.”

Eternal didn’t sound too good in his mind. It was a rather weird word choice, Minhyun thought, knowing the weight words carried in them. He could’ve said for life and yet, he chose  _ eternal _ .

There was a growing uneasiness in him that wasn’t there when he woke up to Seongwoo. This felt more intimidating and kept him on edge… but his ally had escaped once, which gave him hope.

“No.” rushed to reply the other, earning a mocking laugh from the other.

“What about your handsome partner here? Will you take it? I would really want skills like yours here. And your face too!” His voice was like honey, sticking everywhere.

“If you let us loose, I’ll think about it.”

Surprisingly, he did.

“Sure thing, sugar.”

Then, he left the room leaving a very confused Minhyun and shocked Seongwoo behind.

“How did you just- “Seongwoo began.

“Convince him to let us roam freely? As if I knew.” Interrupted Minhyun.

The first thing the pirate did when he stood up was turn around to tend to him, his hands extended for him to catch and help himself. His eyes stared into Minhyun’s with such an intensity it was dizzying.

Maybe it was when he saw the other about to be sliced in half, but something had changed. It had been merely two days and he already  _ cared _ . It was probably the fact that despite being kidnapped the other made his life easier. Minhyun was a means to an end to him and he could’ve easily hurt him but he didn’t. Instead, he treated him kindly and trusted him with weapons when he could’ve easily let him defenceless.

There was also the fact that the pirate was insanely beautiful, which helped too.

Seongwoo, too, was definitely interested in Minhyun. He wondered why; why the other had been so caring since the beginning despite the banter. He still didn’t know either how the other seemed to know so much about him. Why no other pirate had entered his cellar? Why did the other  _ protect _ him?

“Seongwoo.” Minhyun called. “Do you know me?”

It was the third time he had asked that. This time, he expected a different answer.

“I do.” Admitted the pirate, coming closer. “I don’t think you know how you influence the lives of people, Hwang Minhyun. Your oratory could change the world. And even if you always use it for your own good you  _ help others _ .” He paused, taking a deep breath. “I wouldn’t be alive if not for you. Which doesn’t mean I wouldn’t use you for my own benefit, just that I wouldn’t have let you die back in my-well, not really mine, but you understand, ship.”

Minhyun was so stunned he could only manage a quiet “How?”

“You probably don’t remember when you convinced a man to sell his farm some years ago.” He did. “Some businessman of your bought it shortly after to reform it and use it for something else. In doing so, he found me and some other kids hidden in the basement. The farmer was…” He stopped in his words, as if it was difficult to talk, to remember.

Minhyun placed his hand on Seongwoo’s shoulder, slowly rising it to cup his face. The dark-haired’s eyes conveyed an unspeakable sadness, so deep it was engraved to his very self. It was haunting and Minhyun had to look elsewhere.

“I know.” He said. The disgusting nature of the farmer was the reason why they had wanted to take the farm off his hands in the first place.

“Your men even offered us a job, most of them took it. I thought I wasn’t fit for it and ended up becoming what you see now. When I found out my captain wanted to raid your house and kill everyone, I suggested what I could think of to save as much of you as I could.”

“You… Thank you.” Minhyun sighed.

His hand was still on Seongwoo’s face. The closer they stood, the better he could observe how well-crafted it was. Chiselled to perfection. It drew him in. The air seemed to tighten and the time inside the cellar halted when Minhyun pulled the other in, pressing their lips together.

They matched perfectly, soft under his own. His hand went to the other’s nape, deepening the lock. Seongwoo’s tongued pried Minhyun’s mouth open, sliding it inside. Seongwoo tasted of salt, of sea. He wanted to let himself be taken by the waves.

Under them, the ship bumped. Their bodies were thrown across the room violently. Their backs hit the wooden wall behind them and Seongwoo held Minhyun’s hand in his.

“We’ve docked.” Seongwoo stated.

His back hurt from the shock, a bruise waiting to happen. With his free hand, he helped himself to stand up. The longer he was standing the worse the pain became but there was objectively nothing he could do.

After the crash, everything was still; barely even waves making them dance. Their breaths were the only thing they could hear inside the cellar, which was weird. He expected everything to be  _ noisier _ , not borderline peaceful. Probably the buccaneers had gone ashore leaving them behind.

The cellar they were in was smaller than the one he had been last time, which meant the ship was also smaller. He hadn’t seen it when they took him and hadn’t had time yet, trapped inside the room, anyway.

It was also emptier, not even alcohol barrels. He presumed the ship was also quite  _ new _ , judging also from the slight shine the wood maintained. Maybe it hadn’t been long since Sungwoon had gotten himself a new ship to replace the one Seongwoo stole.

“I just had an idea.” The auburn-haired whispered, coming closer to the other. “What if we steal this?”

Seongwoo looked at him as if he was crazy.

“What?”

“You did it once.” Minhyun shrugged.

“I was  _ sleeping _ with him and had access to… stuff. Now we’re prisoners.” He stated.

Those were facts. Minhyun knew them. He was hung up on his idea still.

“Okay but listen. He let us free! Must’ve been because he thinks we can’t do anything.”

“And we can?” Retorted the other, quickly. “We have no weapons, Minhyun.”

“I have me.” He said, simply. Like that was supposed to explain much.

Seongwoo scratched his forehead, his expression that of unsureness.

“I really shouldn’t follow you, but guide the way.”

It was a long shot and they both knew it, but either way they were at the mercy of pirates. Not like Seongwoo himself wasn’t one, but he was  _ indebted  _ to Minhyun even if he hadn’t known anything. Besides, he trusted him now, to a degree.

Minhyun threw himself against the wooden door, but it didn’t give in. He did so many times, hurting his arm in the process but nothing. In the room there was nothing to help them.

“Throw yourself with me! Maybe out weight will open it!”

“Or maybe do nothing of the sort.” Commented Sungwoon, casually opening the door from the outside and surprising them both.

A cold sweat went down Minhyun’s spine. All in all, his plan was quite dumb. He had overlooked the whole situation, letting himself be guided by impulses and the wish to just  _ get out _ . He wouldn’t do it again, if he had the chance to do anything again.

The tiny man rested against the doorframe, the sun gleaming behind him. It was blinding, making him see spots that weren’t there.

Sungwoon laughed, it was shrilling, so much that it hurt his ears.

“Why are you keeping us here?” Minhyun asked, defiantly.

The other man shrugged, coming down the stairs. The fabric of his clothes brushing against the wooden floor. He wore them to make himself look bigger, Minhyun thought.

“I have no reason, sugar. I’m a pirate and so are you, and I’m simply stealing you. You’re of no value, after all. Seongwoo here, though, is of emotional value  _ to me _ so that’s why you two are not dead yet despite trying to escape. I have the feeling he would offer his life for yours.”

The auburn-haired shot the other a look.

“I would.”

“Oh, you hurt me!” He exclaimed, faking sadness. “You would never say that about me.”

The red-haired approached them, forgetting to close the door behind him. Before Minhyun himself had time to think, Seongwoo had torpedoed himself onto Sungwoon, knocking the other down.

“Take the gun!” He urged him. Minhyun complied.

Seongwoo was on top of Sungwoon, stopping the other from fighting back. As soon as Minhyun got his hands on the pistol, the dark-haired stood up, trailing quickly after the other. They closed the door to a screaming Sungwoon who was saying something along the lines of “Not Ong Seongwoo stealing my ships  _ again _ !”.

“Are we?”

“Yes.” Said Seongwoo, guiding him towards the rudder.

As they had guessed, the ship was empty save from the captain on the cellar. Everyone had docked and they left before anyone had time to come back.

“What do we do now?” The pirate asked, looking at Minhyun with hopeful eyes.

“Why not take us home and let the poor soul have his ship back?” He answered, serenely.

He didn’t trust Seongwoo  _ yet _ but he wanted to.

With that, they sailed into the sun, leaving Sungwoon’s crew behind.

It took them three days to reach Minhyun’s town unharmed. Seongwoo was a pirate, but Minhyun had absolutely no idea about navigation so, he kept on making mistakes until the other forced him to keep his hands to himself.

During the nights, when both of them were too tired to function, they retreated to the comfortableness of a room. They would cuddle inside a bed, sharing kisses that tasted like salt.

Finally, they docked.

As soon as they did, Seongwoo opened the cellar’s doors. Sungwoon was asleep and when he woke up, they hoped the currents had taken him far away from Minhyun’s hometown.

They removed the anchor, getting off the embarkment before it was dangerous and waved it goodbye.

“Seems like your debt is paid, Ong Seongwoo.” said Minhyun. The pirate’s hand rested on his waist, keeping the both of them together. Black eyes looked at him intently, passionately enough to take his breath away. “You saved my life now. I’m home again.”

“Can I stay here, too?” Seongwoo asked tentatively.

A smirk appeared on Minhyun’s lips.

“How much do you want to stay? Enough to help with the business?”

The crash of their lips was an ample answer.

Thankfully, his home was still standing. The inside was frantic, his sister’s voice audible from the doorstep. Minhyun took a deep breath, Seongwoo’s hand in his own.

“Sujin!” He screamed on top of his lungs.

“HWANG MINHYUN I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD!” She said, coming down the stairs incredibly fast.

Ignoring Seongwoo’s presence, she engulfed him in a hug. He needed it.

“I would’ve if not for Seongwoo here. We both would’ve.”

Finally, she noticed there was someone else.

“Why? Thank you, anyway.” Sujin said, she meant it.

“I’ll explain later.”

After having dinner, the three of them plus Jihoon, Jinyoung and Woojin who had rushed back to help as soon as they heard what had happened to their mansion sat on the living room. They listened to Minhyun’s story, Seongwoo adding details here and there.

They drank, laughed and celebrated Minhyun being back, putting off work for a while.

That night, and every night that followed, Seongwoo slept on Minhyun’s bed. Sujin didn’t cut off in her noise complaints every few mornings.

“Do you miss it? Pirate life, I mean.” Minhyun asked one day.

They had gone on a mission. A woman had gone to Sujin asking for help to get rid of her husband. The man was apparently an abuser, her many bruises accounted for it.

Of course, they had taken the case.

They had taken many cases, continuously bossed around by Sujin. At least he had a partner then, Minhyun thought.

“I much rather prefer earth and you.”

  
  



End file.
